Tears of the Alchemist
by Tragic Alchemy
Summary: News from back home informs Ed that Winry is deathly sick. He must return from Central to come to her aid, but will this be that last time that he visits her while she is still alive?
1. Better Come Home

Disclaimer: FMA isn't mine

Tears of the Alchemist

Chapter I – Better Come Home

Ed slammed his fists down on the table in front of him in anger. "Ugh! I hate this!" he yelled through gritted teeth. The same paperwork was scattered before him that had been there for almost a week now. He and Al had been working on decoding the top-secret material for longer than they had expected in hopes that it may reveal several leads to the Philosopher's Stone. Their attempts had gotten them absolutely nowhere, and now they were beginning to get frustrated.

"What if we just started over?" Al questioned. "Are you kidding!" Ed retorted furiously. "We've already spent so much time on this. We just need to work backwards to make sure we didn't miss anything." Ed fingered through a few of the papers and removed one from the middle, scanning it with his eyes and following the process in slow whispers. "I still say it may be easier if we just started over," Al tried again. Ed ignored him, trying to control his temper.

The work silently proceeded into the hours of the night. Three and a half cups of coffee later, Ed threw up his hands in submission. "I give up!" he complained. The ceiling fan creaked above then as if laughing at the boys. "This isn't going anywhere. This may just be false information not intended to make _any_ connections to the stone," Ed explained. Al sat in silence, pretending that he was still working. Truth be told, he gave up long before Ed finally 'threw in the towel.' He knew that everything they had before them was regretfully useless.

A light tap on the door sounded and echoed in the gloomy room. Al stood from his place at the table and started toward the door. Every step he took revealed the disturbance of lonely metal crashing up against nothing. The heavy armor was all that existed of Alphonse Elric. One simple detail drawn in blood that remained within the hardened shell was all that kept him alive. Hunger never struck him and tears never stained his face for he was incapable of emotions, but somehow, he was still a living person. He was still the brother of Edward Elric.

Upon reaching the door, Al laid his hand on the doorknob to reveal the familiar face of Maes Hughes. "Hey guys!" he greeted them. Hughes was always the friendly, accepting type who was extremely proud of his family. Not a day passed by when he didn't remind the surrounding world of his wife's tenderness and his daughter's accomplishments. Elicia was truly daddy's little girl.

Hughes entered the room with his announcing presence and adjusted his glassed that sat upon his nose. He was a great and reliable friend of the Elrics. They knew they could always turn to him when in need, for he was a good man with astounding generosity. He often worried about the brothers. Over time, he came to accept them as a part of his family and knew to check up on them whenever possible. 'Those boys are great kids,' he always thought.

He opened his mouth to speak but noticed the mess of paperwork that covered the table in the center of the room. He walked over to it and picked up the sheets closest to him, examining the text. The brothers sighed heavily, not wanting to be reminded of the countless hours they wasted trying to decode the indecipherable data.

Hughes silently cleared his throat before he spoke. "Looks like you came across last year's military inventory." Ed's mouth gaped open while the words processed in his head. "What?" he said bluntly after failing to comprehend what Hughes had told them. "Last year's inventory," Maes repeated. "It's good to see you've found it because we seemed to have misplaced it."

Al said not a word and took a seat several strides away from his angered older brother. Fire arose in Ed's eyes as he glared at the papers Maes still held in his hands. "You mean to tell me…" Edward growled. "That all this time we were decoding inventory records?" "Well, yeah. It's the inventory that…" Hughes trailed off. "Wait… decoding?"

Ed slouched back in his seat and brushed his hair to the side with one gloved hand while locking his eyes filled with furious glowing embers on the scattered notes and releasing an enraged, heavy breath. "What do you mean 'decoding?'" Maes asked, shifting his glance back and forth between brothers. "We picked those papers up believing it was some inside information about the stone," Alphonse finally admitted after a long pause filled with silence.

Maes started to laugh after assuming Al was only joking. When no words were spoken by either of the brothers he faded his laughter, realizing the grave look on Edward's face. "You uh… weren't joking. Were you?" Hughes dared to ask. "Nope," Ed said matter-of-factly. Hughes scrunched his forehead as the light reflected off his glasses. "What made you think this was in regards to the Philosopher's Stone?" "What does it matter now?" Ed groaned in frustration. He stood, outstretched his right arm of mechanical parts, and with a single swipe, he wiped the table clean of all information and allowed the useless papers to fall to the floor.

Hughes followed the papers with his eyes until they rested upon the floor. Edward turned his back to the table, refusing to face the material. "Wow. You two must have spent quite a while on that stuff," Hughes stated as he kicked the disposed data out of the way. Ed remained silent, but Al sullenly nodded in agreement. "Well, anyway," Hughes began. "I just wanted to check on you—" he was cut off with another knock at the door. It startled the guys, but they didn't hesitate when answering the interruption. As Maes reached for the brass knob, he sighed in annoyance. He felt that whenever he finally got the boys alone to discuss how things had been going, he was interrupted in one fashion or another.

Hughes opened the door to invite one of the newly hired members of military personnel. He was fairly young with chocolate eyes and thin hair of powdered sand. A few scattered freckles lined the bridge of his nose and his uncertain lips showed the slightest tint of natural pink. Upon noticing Hughes standing before him, the young soldier immediately raised his hand to his brow in an awkward salute. "Sir," he announced. "At ease, uh…" Maes searched the boy's uniform for a nametag. "Alan," he finished after spotting the name above his right breast pocket.

Alan dropped his arm to his side. "I have a message for Edward Elric," he claimed. Edward was standing a few feet away from Hughes and still fuming about the number of hours they had wasted. When he heard Alan speak his name, he stepped forward to receive the news. "What is it?" he asked almost positive that Mustang was only calling on him for another rat race. "There's a phone call for you down at the main office," Alan informed. "Who's calling? It isn't Mustang is it?" Ed questioned not wanting to answer the call. "I'm not sure, sir. I wasn't told."

Ed sighed and pushed his braid, which had quietly crept around his neck, over his shoulder. "The main office, you said?" Ed asked Alan. The young soldier confirmed the question with a nod and a quick "Sir." "I'll be back," Ed called over his shoulder to Al and Hughes as he made his way past Alan to head downstairs to the main office.

Ed's steps left slight depressions on the carpet that covered the floor of the hallway as he entered the corridor that led down to the stairwell. "Damn that Mustang," Ed muttered angrily under his breath while descending the lonely steps. Each step resulted in a slight creak of his metal leg and a faint sigh from the forgotten stairs. Each floor Ed passed started another series of curses as Ed finally caught sight of the base level. Ed leaped across the last three steps not wanting to waste any time and made a sharp right hand turn down the hallway that led to the main office.

He stepped inside looking for the secretary, but she was nowhere to be found. "Anyone here?" Ed questioned the quiet room. "Behind you," answered a familiar male voice. Ed whipped himself around to face Havoc who was deep in thought and standing over a variety of files. "I have a call?" Ed asked. "Line two," Havoc confirmed allowing the lit cigarette to dangle from between his lips. "You know those can kill you," Ed stated as he gave his infamous smirk. "Oh, well," Havoc muttered followed my more mumbles.

Sighing, Ed spotted the telephone positioned upon the front desk and slouched as he made his way over to it. "Mustang?" Ed asked Havoc, hoping he would disprove his theory. "No, I don't think so," Havoc replied still hovering over the assorted files. Ed moved his glance back to the man and raised an eyebrow expecting a further explanation. "I believe it's from Resembool," Havoc said as his fingers continued to organize the files before him.

A soft smile crept across Ed's face, and he headed to the phone with excitement in every step. 'Winry!' he thought as he reached for the phone. He closed his eyes and envisioned her the last time he saw her. Her velvet locks of hair fell kindly upon her shoulders, and her lips were pursed together. She was mad at him as usual, and he couldn't help but that at the thought.

He cautiously lifted the receiver, careful not to drop it or disconnect the call for this was one he wanted to take, and he placed the earpiece upon his ear. "Hey, Winry!" he happily began the conversation. There was a brief moment of silence before a response traveled through the phone. "Edward?" A quick sense of surprise struck Ed when he heard the reply. 'This isn't Winry,' he thought. "It's Pinako," continued the caller.

Ed smiled as soon as recognition had swept over him. "Hey, you old bag," Ed joked. "Ed, now is not the time for fun and games," Pinako stated in a serious tone. Ed wrinkled his nose. "What are you talking about?" "It's Winry," she informed him. Ed stood up straight in alarm at this statement. "Wh-what's wrong?" he stuttered with a shaky, worried voice. "I think you better come home. Winry's very ill. You're needed here."

"I'm coming!" Ed announced without much deliberation and slammed the phone back to its resting place. When Havoc turned to him to question about the call, Ed was already bounding up the stairs, leaping up three steps at a time.


	2. Have My Okay

Disclaimer: I don't own FMA or any part of it. Do I have to do this every chapter? P

Tears of the Alchemist

Chapter II – Have My Okay

"I wonder who it could be," Al asked himself aloud referring to the phone call for his brother. He focused in on a worn area of the carpet and listened to his own thoughts.

"Well, you know how Mustang likes to keep him busy. It could be him," Hughes began to hypothesize. Maes leaned up against the wall, which was stained with age. He allowed his head to fall backwards and rest upon the wall with the rest of his body. The creak of the ceiling fan continued above them. Alan still stood in the doorway.

"Sir," he addressed Hughes.

"Yes?" he responded without shifting his position. Alan shuffled his feet wondering how to correctly form his request. He was new to headquarters and didn't want to choose words that would offend a superior officer. He bit his bottom lip in the process of gathering an acceptable excuse.

"I… believe I need to get back to work," Alan nervously said. Hughes lifted his head and slid his glance toward the boy anxiously anticipating his officer's approval.

"Oh! Of course!" Maes exclaimed after realizing he was keeping the newcomer from his duties. He carefully adjusted his gleaming eyeglasses and placed his hand upon his forehead.

"Dismissed," Hughes confirmed with a quick salute.

"Thank you, sir," Alan answered returning the gesture. Maes allowed a slight chuckle escape his lips as soon as Alan had left the room. Al looked up from the floor ending his silent trance.

"What's so funny?" he asked as the quiet chuckles subsided.

"Oh, nothing," Hughes began. "You can just tell that he's a new guy. That's all." He smiled at the empty armor as he gave his reasons. The ceiling fan still sang its own melody. Hughes sighed and returned to his previous position up against the wall. He would have much rather been at home with his darling daughter.

His mind solemnly recalled that morning when she was sound asleep and clutching the teddy bear of ruffled brown fur. He reached out to brush his hand through her hushed, relaxed hair but decided against it for fear of waking her from her ductile slumber. He studied her tiny hands as wandering fur emerged from between her fingers. Oh, how many of those miniscule hands would fit inside only one of his? He looked down at his hands and allowed his eyes to search the many crevices upon them, as if seeking answers. Those crevices were the result of a soldier's work and had many stories to be told. He clenched his fists shut to hide the evidence of age and thought, 'One day… one day she will know those stories, too.'

He smiled and awoke from his daydream. He noticed Al staring once again at the floor.

"What are you thinking about?" Hughes asked.

Al shrugged. "I wonder what's taking brother so long."

"I don't know. He's probably just bad-mouthing the Colonel." Hughes assured. Al giggled at the thought. That was Edward, all right: always questioning authority and wanting to defy orders. Al never saw logical reasoning behind Ed's stubbornness and argumentative disposition because he knew that in the end, Ed would always give in to orders. After all, he did become a _dog of the military_ for a reason, and one obligation is indeed following orders. Al shook his head in disagreement. His brother was just so headstrong sometimes.

Suddenly, indistinct steps could slightly be heard from the hallway. Eventually, Al recognized the clanking of his brother's Rockbell automail. Al cocked his head to the side, noticing something unusual about the familiar sound, but what was it? He listened intently as the steps came closer. Al knew what the difference was: Ed was running!

"Why are you running?" Al called aloud before his brother even reached the open door. Before long, Ed was standing in the doorway, shoulders heaving as he tried to catch his breath. Ed forced his mouth shut in denial of exhaustion and headed directly to the back of the room without a word. The stares of both Hughes and Al followed the young alchemist as he began to gather random objects.

"Brother?" Al questioned. Ed still remained silent as the fan laughed once again. Al hated when Ed did this. He never talked about what was bothering him, so Al did his best at guessing. This time, he decided to jump to conclusions and get to the bottom of it.

"Where did Colonel Mustang send us this time?" Silence. "Ed?"

"Nowhere, Al," was his simple reply.

"Then why are you beginning to pack your things?" Al asked, still unsure of what his brother had just been told.

"It wasn't Mustang on the phone," Ed stated. He ceased the gathering of items, for his hands were still trembling. He crossed his arms in an attempt to hide the growing fear and leaned up against the wall. Hughes cleared his throat aloud and said, "I'll leave you two boys alone." He turned his back and left the room, gently closing the door behind him.

"So?" Al asked. Ed took a deep breath only to release a quivering sigh.

"We're going back to Resembool."

"And that's a bad thing? Brother, you're confusing me!" Al didn't understand what was going on. Usually going to Resembool was a good thing. Getting to visit with Winry and Granny Pinako was the greatest. "What a minute…" Al trailed off. Was everything okay back home? Granny was getting kind of old. What if something happened to her? How would Winry take it? "What happened to Granny Pinako? Is she hurt?" Al finally asked.

"Granny's fine," Ed told him reassuringly.

"Oh," Al said dumbfounded. "Then what is it?" There was a brief moment of silence as Edward's heart pounded heavily in his chest. Ed placed his hand over his thudding heart, hoping to calm it and believing it could be heard clear across the room.

"Winry's sick," was all he could say. 'Sick?' Al thought.

"What do you mean sick?" Al asked his brother.

"Al," Ed began. "We may lose our best friend." Al was speechless. Ed finally returned to collecting the many belongings scattered about the room.

"But Ed, we can't just get up and leave!" Al protested.

"Oh, yes you can!" Hughes barged into the room. Both boys stared at him. Ed scrunched his forehead and expected and explanation.

"Uh," Maes stammered. He had just realized that his ease dropping had gotten him in an awkward situation. He somewhat laughed it off while meeting the boys' confused glances. He regained his composure and straightened his posture.

"Forgive me boys for listening in on your conversation," he began. "But if you need to go home, you have my okay." Hughes smiled at them, not an ordinary smile, but one of acceptance and understanding. It also seemed to say, 'Everything will be okay.' An aura of true friendship arose between the three, and the brothers spoke in calm unison, "Thank you."

A/N: Yay! Chapter 2 is done! I just reread it and I have to admit that is does seem a bit messy, and for that I apologize. I just wanted to get it finished and posted before I went out of town. Anyways, please don't give up on me! There is definitely more to come. Much love to everyone!


	3. Point Me in the Direction

Tears of the Alchemist Chapter III - Point Me in the Direction

The train ride back home was unlike any other, for it was one of extraordinary silence. Ed laid in the seat across from his brother, as solid as stone. He pretended to be asleep to flee any questions, but his racing mind wouldn't allow him to fully rest. All the sickening possibilities nearly drove him insane. What could conceivably make Winry so sick that Ed needed to rush home so quickly? He became nauseated just thinking about it and quickly swallowed his doubts. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to hope for the best. He imagined arriving at the Rockbell home to a very healthy Winry and a claim that the whole ordeal was only a false alarm. He forced this single hope to repeat itself in his troubling thoughts as he held his breath in the hot train car.

The train speeded its way across the tracks, and faint whispers of the clanking metal from below echoed throughout the car. Gentle wisps of blonde hair fell upon Ed's cheeks and forehead. They quivered as the train advanced to Resembool.

Al calmly sat speechless, hands firmly on his knees and empty eyes tracing the horizon through the dirt-stained window. The hills continued to unfold, and Al absorbed the colors that covered the land. The scattered shades of greens and browns tamed the extreme worry he possessed not only for Winry, but also for his brother. Ed had been so distant since they had received word of the illness, and Al could only wish that for once, life would cooperate with them.

Al finally caught sight of the small, but familiar station of Resembool. He found himself taking a deep breath to prepare for what was to come. 'Here we go,' he thought to himself as a male voice boomed within the car.

"All passengers to Resembool," it said. Al glanced toward Ed, who was still lying in the seat. He stirred somewhat but didn't rise from his position.

"Ed?" Al questioned.

"I know," Ed replied. "Just give me a second."

"I'll get our stuff and meet you outside," Al suggested, rising from his seat and beginning to exit. Ed said nothing in return, so Al assumed that he agreed. As soon as Ed knew that Al had left the area, Ed sat up and prepared to exit the train.

There wasn't much action going on around him because not many people boarded a train to visit a small town like this. Ed accepted this lack of movement and stood from his spot. His footing began as slow, saddened steps but quickly transformed into a hurried pace. His reluctance to see Winry turned into an absolute need to be there. His drooping head slightly lifted as he raised his chin. 'I'm going to help her,' he thought. 'I have to.'

The moment Ed stepped off the train, the whistle sounded, signaling the train to continue its route. He spotted Al standing at the corner of the platform. Ed's battered suitcase rested at Al's feet with Ed's signature red jacket draped over it. Ed made his way to his brother.

"Thanks, Al," he muttered as he bent down to pick up the items. He slung his jacket over his shoulder and firmly grasped his suitcase in his solid right hand. He turned his back to his brother and faced the direction of his destination. His glistening golden eyes sharpened as he stared down the familiar road, still unable to move forward. He tightly pressed his lips together, forcing his worried expression to dissolve in the curves of his face. Before the two could leave the lonely train station, a middle-aged, red-haired woman stepped out in front of them.

"Excuse me, but I'm from out of town, and I was hoping you could point me in the direction of the general store," the friendly stranger requested. Ed flashed her an annoyed glance, then stepped off the platform with a blunt, "Sorry, lady."

"Oh, you must not know the area, either. Forgive me," she embarrassingly said.

"No, ma'am. We know the area just fine. In fact, we used to live here," Al began. He was always the more conversational brother. "Forgive my brother. He's always like that," he said staring after Ed who was already kicking up the dirt along the road leading to the Rockbell home. "I'm Alphonse Elric," he said holding out his hand to shake with the new acquaintance.

"Julia Gold," she said through a welcoming smile, and she accepted the handshake.

"The antisocial one is my brother, Edward Elric," Al continued. Julia laughed but paused to ponder the name.

"Why does his name sound so familiar?" she questioned the tall suit of armor.

"Well, he's a state alchemist," Al stated. Julia's face lit up.

"Oh, of course! He's the one who's supposedly a child prodigy," she confidently responded.

"That's right," Al proudly confirmed.

"So what brings you two back to Resembool?" Julia ventured.

"A dear friend is really sick, so we came back to visit," he said in a distraught tone. Julia pulled her long red hair to one side.

"It's a girl, isn't it?" she asked.

"How did you know?" Al questioned in complete shock.

"You can see it in your brother's eyes," she claimed. "You can tell how worried he is and how much he cares about her. It's the type of thing you can just read, especially with eyes like his… eyes that burn like fire. And believe me, I know all about love," she laughed. "But anyways, how about that general store?" she asked once again. Her explanation was still sinking in when she changed the subject, so Al had to quickly snap back to reality.

"Yes, Miss Gold. If you follow that road right there," he pointed off in one direction. "It will lead you straight to it. It sits right along the river," Al informed.

"Thank you very much, Alphonse," she smiled and followed the given directions. Al sighed and turned back to his brother and noticed he was far ahead of him.

"Wait for me, brother!" Al called and ran to catch up. When Al had caught up with him, he slowed his pace to match Ed's while he caught his breath.

"What was that all about?" Ed mumbled.

"Oh, nothing," Al replied. "She just wanted to know where the general store was. She was a really nice lady." Ed raised an eyebrow, but continued down the dirt road. The walk seemed to last ages, for it was one filled with dread. It was a somewhat humid day, and tiny droplets of perspiration formed on the back of Ed's neck, but he didn't mind. His only focus was getting back to Winry.

As they advanced, the yellow house came into view. As they continued to approach the structure, the letters upon the sign outside became visible. When only a few strides away from the front steps, Ed froze in his tracks. The light breeze that was flowing over the land subsided, and everything was still.

"The calm before the storm," Ed told his brother. Den emerged from the side of the house and began to bark at the familiar faces.

"Let's go, brother," Ed calmly said after taking a deep breath. They started toward the steps, and Pinako appeared in the front doorway to greet them.

A/N: They've finally made it back home. It's about time! Now, for all those who are wondering, Julia Gold is a completely made-up character I decided to add to make the story a little more interesting (along with Alan from Chapter 1). It's taking me forever trying to decide how I want the next few chapters to unfold, but I promise they will be up shortly. Much love to all! 


	4. Ears to Listen

Tears of the Alchemist

Chapter IV – Ears to Listen

"It's good to see you two made it," Pinako said upon their arrival. She backed away from the doorway and allowed them to enter the house.

"We came as soon as we could," Al said as Pinako closed the door behind them. Ed stood in the center of the room, speechless. His eyes scanned the room, inspecting every corner. He couldn't believe how quiet the whole house was. He was so accustomed to a noisy Rockbell home. Whether it was because of Den barking, tools clanking, or Winry yelling at Ed, it was always filled with lively sounds. Now, even Ed's own quiet breathing could be heard.

He slowly turned his head to continue the inspection. He wrinkled his nose at the strange smells. The once always-present scent of engine oil had faded away and was replaced with one of sterility and medicines. Ed didn't like this smell at all. It reminded him of when his mother was sick. The smell was so strong now, and he had to shake himself free of any painful memories. Still, the familiar scent burned in his nostrils.

As his eyes proceeded to examine his surroundings, Ed noticed the empty tables that lined the walls. The prospect of the tables always paraded with tools and mechanical parts to be unbelievably bare seemed utterly delusive, and it nauseated Edward.

He sighed and stepped towards one of the tables, running his fingers through the hair hanging loosely over his face. When he reached the edge of the table, he rested his gloved hands upon it and grimaced at the empty surface. He grabbed his red jacket that was still somewhat hanging off his shoulder and placed it at one corner of the table. Scanning it again, he removed his black jacket and placed it at the opposite end. He then carefully fingered his gloves before pulling them off and placing them in the center, satisfied that almost all the empty space had been filled.

He had left his suitcase in the center of the room where he had previously been standing, and by this time, Al had already moved it up against the couch and had taken a seat. Pinako was leaning up against the wall next to the front door allowing Ed to take a few moments.

Staring at the table before him, Ed noticed something peeking out beneath his black jacket. Ed reached for it and lifted it to the level of his eyes. It was a medium-sized screw, obviously one Winry had been working with before she became ill and one that had been left behind when all the equipment was cleaned up. He clenched the lone screw in his fist and hesitantly swallowed.

"Where is she?" he asked Pinako without moving.

"She's upstairs in her room," she replied. "She fell asleep just a few minutes before you arrived." Ed turned to the stairs and stared up them, his eyes searching for her and his ears alert. Her door was only cracked open, so he was unable to see anything from downstairs.

"This rest is good for her," Pinako continued. "You must be thirsty after walking from the station in that heat. Come into the kitchen and have some lemonade." Ed still stared up the stairs but followed Pinako into the kitchen.

"Right," he said turning from the stairs. Al stood up and filed in behind his brother. The boys both pulled up chairs and sat down while Pinako prepared a tall glass of fresh lemonade for Ed. The ice crackled as she popped in each ice cube. She slid it over to him, and he quietly sipped at the beverage, letting the sweet lemonade tickle his lips. He sat the tall glass down in front of him, condensation forming at its base, and cleared his throat.

"Has a doctor seen her?" Ed asked Pinako, not wanting his eyes to meet hers.

"Yes. He's been here twice," she began. "When she first started getting sick, he said it was just a cold and that she should be over it in no time, but then it got worse. She couldn't work anymore because she was coughing so much and had a hard time breathing. Eventually, breathing became her most difficult task, and that's when I called Dr. Morris a second time. He was here that one morning… the day that I called you." Both Ed and Al listened intently as she recalled the course of Winry's sickness.

"He told me that Winry's cold had taken a turn for the worse. He had seen this condition only once before, but couldn't remember the name of it. He advised me to keep the house exceptionally clean, and that meant no mechanics. He promised to return tomorrow to check up on her and inform me more of the illness. It's a good thing you two are here. That way I'll have a couple more ears to listen to him because mine are getting old." She smiled at them, but Ed didn't notice.

"What about the other case?" Ed ventured. "He said he treated a condition like Winry's before. So, what happened?" Pinako's face dropped. She was afraid that he would ask.

"He did tell you, didn't he?" he asked, his eyes hopeful.

"Yes, Ed. He told me," Pinako confirmed, unwilling to answer his concern.

"And?" he demanded. Pinako breathed deeply and exhaled slowly before responding.

"The patient died within a few weeks after becoming bedridden." A slight gasp could be heard from Al's armored body, and Ed raised his eyebrows in shock. The kitchen fell completely silent until Al decided to speak.

"What are we going to do?" he whimpered.

"Well…" Pinako attempted but trailed off.

"We're going to wait for Dr. Morris," Ed chimed in. "Hopefully, he can come up with an effective solution. Until tomorrow, all we can do is wait." That statement ended the conversation.

Ed rose to his feet and walked towards a wall covered in photographs. He stood before them, studying the figures in each one. There were a couple of Winry and her parents when she was young and a few of her and Den. Ed even noticed some with her, Al, and himself, but the majority of the wall was covered with just her and him. Many were when they were children, but some appeared to be recent photos. He noticed one that showed Winry holding an ice pack up to Ed's forehead with an annoyed look on her face. 'That must have been after she threw another wrench at me,' he thought and slightly smiled. He shifted his eyes to the next picture. It was of the two of them when they were fast asleep and still very young. Ed was sprawled out on the floor, and Winry was resting her head on his chest. While examining the picture, Ed also noticed the popcorn thrown everywhere across the floor. Another slight smile formed across his lips.

"These weren't here the last time we visited," Ed claimed.

"Oh, Winry put those up when she first started getting sick," Pinako explained. "She said they comforted her and made her feel a little better." Ed nodded and found his way back to the table and his lemonade. Pinako's voice reached his ears once again.

"You can go up and see her now if you'd like. She wouldn't be too happy if she found out that I let her nap during your arrival." Ed glanced at Pinako, and then looked to the stairs.

"Okay," he softly said, beginning towards them. He slowly placed his hand on the rail and soon found himself quietly trudging up the stairs. He bit at his bottom lip as he climbed the steps. The fact that he felt a little nervous surprised him, but he ignored the feeling and continued to Winry's bedroom. When he finally reached the top of the stairs, he took a moment to study the crack of light at the corners of her doorway. With a deep breath, he placed his hand upon the doorknob and paused before creaking the door open.

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A/N: haha! I keep putting off the reunion of Ed and Winry. Please don't throw things at me! Yes, I have decided what Winry's illness is going to be. Yes, it is a real-life illness, and yes, I have done a little bit of research on it… just enough to get my facts straight. Anyways, I hope this wasn't as messy as I had figured it to be. Keep reading! Much love!


	5. You Slipped and Fell

A/N: It's the moment you all have been waiting for… Ta-Da! It's the reunion of Ed and Winry! Now don't stop reading now that you've finally seen it because you still don't know how it's going to end. Reviews wanted. You know, I never realized how violent my reviewers are… lol, just kidding. Much love!

Tears of the Alchemist

Chapter V – You Slipped and Fell

As Ed pushed the door open, the sunlight beaming through Winry's bedroom window shone directly in Ed's auburn eyes, blinding him for a split second. When he regained his ability to focus, he saw her. Winry was lying delicately on her bed beneath the velvet bedding, her arms firmly at her side. Her eyes were closed in rest, and loose wisps of blonde hair fell about her face.

Ed turned to close the door quietly behind him, careful not to wake her. He lightly stepped across the room and pulled the chair from her desk to place at the foot of her bed. He took his seat and settled his eyes upon her, carefully studying every gentle curve of her face. He focused on her skin, which was the palest he had ever seen it, and he listened to her shallow breathing, which had no particular rhythm at all. He realized what a struggle it must be for Winry to perform such a simple and involuntary task as breathing.

Without warning, she stirred in her sleep. Her forehead scrunched in pain, and Ed heard her slightly groan in distress. Ed moved his glance to the floor. He hated seeing her in this state. He would have done anything to take her pain away, but he had a biting feeling that much worse was yet to come.

She stirred again, and Ed heard her fail an attempt to clear her throat. He looked back up to find her fighting to open her eyes. When she finally succeeded, she found Ed sitting at the foot of her bed, and a whole-hearted smile spread across her face. She hadn't smiled in weeks because she never found reason to, but now that she could smile, it felt incredible.

"You're here," she barely whispered. Ed returned her smile. He just couldn't hold it back. She had always been the one to make him happy. He noticed that although the healthy tone of her skin had faded, her cerulean eyes were ablaze as brightly as ever. It seemed like no matter what happened to her, the truth screaming from her eyes always lived on.

"Yeah, Win. I'm here," Ed replied. "Al and I came straight from Central. We wanted to be here for you and to help you recover." She still smiled at him despite the aching within her.

"Thank y-," she attempted to say, but began to cough miserably. One of her hands sprung to her chest as the coughing subsided. She clutched her chest and allowed the painful spell to pass.

"Please don't worry about thanking me," Ed told her, leaning forward. "Because I _want_ to be here." The smile previously displayed on Winry's face slightly returned to her lips, and she forced herself to sit up. Ed leapt to his feet and was quickly at her side. He reached behind her to adjust the pillow so she could sit up with ease. After she was comfortable, she brushed her hair away from her face with the back of her hand. Ed returned to the foot of the bed just to grab the chair and place it at Winry's side.

"So, how are you?" she whispered. Her voice was scratchy, and her eyes squinted as she spoke.

"How am I?" he asked sarcastically. "That's the question I should be asking you." Her eyes smiled and she lifted her hand, tilting it from side to side as if to answer with a 'so-so.' He realized it would be best if he did most of the talking, so he decided to answer her previous question.

"Well, if you'd really like to hear about it, I've been fine. Al and I have been staying in Central lately, trying to put off any major travels." Winry slowly nodded, and the room was silent again, except for the sound of Winry's breathing. Ed glanced around the room searching for a subject to fuel a conversation. Then he remembered the wall full of pictures he saw downstairs.

"I saw your photo collection on the wall," he told her. Her face lit up and she weakly giggled.

"You did?" she asked.

"Yeah," he replied, smiling ear-to-ear in both remembrance of the pictures and Winry's excitement. "I like the one with the popcorn," Ed announced.

"So do I. That's one of my favorites," Winry said before choking on another coughing spell. Her right hand returned to her chest as she coughed.

'I should have brought up some water,' Ed admitted to himself. When she had quieted once again, he resumed the conversation.

"Funny as it may seem, I actually remember that night in the picture."

"Me too, oddly enough," Winry agreed.

"That was the day we tried to build that swing off the tree branch," Ed continued. "When we climbed up into the tree to tie the ropes, you slipped and fell, and when I tried to reach out and grab you, I fell too."

"Yeah, but I broke your fall," Winry said.

"Sorry about that," Ed apologized through a smile.

"It's okay. No harm done. All I had was a bruise on my backside and a blonde boy in my lap who tried to save me," she whispered in her sickly voice.

"When we finally gave up on the swing, we just went inside to read stories and eat popcorn," Ed reminisced. "I remember even arguing over which book to read. You wanted to read 'Automail for Beginners,' and I insisted on 'Basic Alchemy.' Granny ended that argument with the story about the pirate and the princess."

Winry's giggles could be heard again. "Yes, I remember."

Light taps could be heard on the door shortly before it was pushed open. Al peeked his head around it. "Winry?"

"It's good to see you, Al," Winry said, a soft smile still on her face.

"It's good to see you too," Al said as he entered the room.

"Well, you two visit for a few minutes, and Winry, I'll go get you a glass of water," Ed announced as he stood to exit the room.

"Thank you, Edward," she quietly called after him. He descended the stairs and found his way to the kitchen. Pinako was now seated at the table flipping through a mechanics review. She looked up at Ed when he entered the room.

"I came down to get her some water," he claimed as he reached for a clean glass.

"How did it go?" Pinako asked him, expecting an honest answer. He finished filling the glass, ensuring there was enough ice then thought about her question.

"I really don't know," he admitted. "But she does seem in high spirits."

"Well, that's Winry for you," Pinako explained. "She always looks on the bright side of things." Ed nodded in agreement and turned back to the stairs. When he found his way back to Winry's bedroom, he noticed Al was still standing where he had left him.

"You know, Al," Ed began. "Winry doesn't bite." The comic relief struck all three of them for a moment, and laughter filled the room. Al took a few steps closer and Ed returned to his seat at Winry's side, handing her the glass of water. He made sure that she had a firm grip on it before letting go, and he retracted his hand. She sipped at it for the next few moments, allowing her thirst to be quenched. When finished, she sat it upon the short table nestled beside her bed, and the three life-long friends continued to visit.


	6. Angry With You

Tears of the Alchemist

Chapter VI – Angry With You

Pinako reached across one of the tables and turned on the lamp. The sun had almost completely dipped below the horizon, and dark shadows began to cast around the room. When the light scattered about the room, the shadows dissolved, and the room drowned in illumination.

Tossing the mechanics review aside, she stood to prepare dinner. While rummaging around in the kitchen cupboards, she heard an explosion of laughter from upstairs. Laughter had been sounding from Winry's bedroom for the past hour, and Pinako loved it. It made the house feel alive again. She reached into the refrigerator for the fresh vegetables and heard footsteps coming down the stairs. She turned to find the boys descending the steps. Al entered the kitchen and sat at the table, but Ed stopped at the couch and plopped down on top of it.

"Are you hungry, Ed?" Pinako called out to the living room.

"Always am," he answered from the couch.

"I thought so," she said aloud and continued her duties in the kitchen.

She turned to Al. "As soon as I get some food ready, I'd appreciate it if you could bring some up to Winry."

"Sure thing," Al replied.

The evening went on with Ed resting him eyes on the couch, Al sitting at the table, and Pinako preparing dinner. When she had finished, she handed Al a bowl of rice to take to Winry. Al stood and headed up the stairs to deliver to food.

"Ed. Food," Pinako announced. Ed slid off the couch and sat at the table to devour the rice and vegetables with Pinako.

"It was good to hear Winry laugh," Pinako said.

"Yeah," Ed murmured between mouthfuls.

"I'm actually surprised that she wasn't angry with you."

"Why would she be mad at me?" he asked, still shoveling food into his mouth.

"Well," Pinako began. "You stay away from Resembool as long as possible until you absolutely need to be here. You don't visit, rarely call, and I haven't seen a letter from you in ages. It would be nice if you showed a little concern for your closest friend."

"I knew I was going to get this speech one way or another," he said through a series of chuckles.

"Well, maybe you can save yourself from this speech next time and call or write more often."

"If there is a next time…" Ed trailed off. The room fell silent. Pinako stared at Ed who just stared at his food.

"I'm done," he said after another moment of silence and stood from his seat. At that moment, Al came down the stairs with an almost empty bowl of rice.

"It looks like she ate well," Pinako stated as Al handed her the bowl. Ed was seated on the couch again, and Al decided to raid the bookshelf. As soon as Pinako cleaned up the kitchen, she decided to retire for the evening.

"Boys, I'm going to check on Winry, then I'm going to call it a night. You know where everything is if you need anything, and keep an ear available for Winry. I do believe that she will sleep rather sound tonight, though, now that she knows you two are here."

Al was seated on the floor next to the bookshelf, an open book in his lap. Ed was nestled on the couch and stared out the window.

"Al," Pinako said. Al looked up from his reading.

"Yes?" he responded.

"Do you see that green book with the gold binding on the third shelf?"

"'The Advanced Science of Automail?'" Al questioned as he reached for it.

"That's the one," Pinako confirmed. "You might want to have Ed take a look at it." Ed turned to her with raised eyebrows and scrunched his forehead in confusion.

"Trust me. Goodnight," she finished and disappeared up the stairs. Al handed the book to Ed, and Edward accepted it. He studied the cover. 'The Advanced Science of Automail' was neatly printed in gold lettering, and the corners were somewhat worn. Ed fingered the letters and slowly lifted the cover. 'Winry Rockbell' was written on the first page in her handwriting. The ink had smudged a little on her 'R,' but Edward turned the page.

As he was flipping through the pages, he noticed Winry's notes here and there. Page 12 featured automail model 2-40-Z. Next to it, Winry wrote 'Must look into for Edward.' Ed smiled at knowing that Winry was always striving to better the lives of others.

He continued to look though the pages. Page 14 had a prominent 'Ed would love this!' written across the top; however, page 21 only brought a frown. Here, Winry had written 'I miss Edward… I wonder if he thinks about me.' Ed sighed in guilt.

"Of course I think about you," he whispered. Al looked up to Ed.

"What was that, brother?" he asked.

"Nothing, Al," Ed began. "I – I'm just talking to myself." Al shrugged and returned to the book in his lap. Ed's braid of golden blonde hair had crept up around his neck, so he flipped it back over his shoulder with one flick of the wrist and resumed venturing through the book before him.

Further feelings of guilt swept over him as every other page held painful words. 'So lonely. The phone doesn't ring. Edward…' Some pages even appeared to be tear-stained. 'I only wish he would come back. It's so painful without him.' Ed touched his fingertips to the letters.

"Winry," he whispered. 'I'm such a dumbass,' he thought to himself. 'I can't believe I never noticed that she felt like this.' He continued to blame himself for her sorrow, but decided that the fact that he never noticed wasn't completely his fault. Whenever the two of them were together, she seemed to mask her feelings of sadness. 'How could I notice if she never showed it?' he began to question himself.

He turned a few more pages. 'I'm so angry with him. Sometimes he thinks I only like to associate with him because he's my top customer. He's so dense. He means so much more to me than just automail!' Flipping through the remainder of the pages, the notes began to relate more to the material. Many different types of measurements were listed one right after the other. '84-degrees. 2' ¼". Diameter of 27 cm.'

Ed ceased to discover any meaningful entries and attempted to close the book, but decided to take a peek at the back cover. Ed's eyes widened at the words written in deep black ink. 'Do I love him?' He stared at the words, but didn't want to think about them. He didn't know _what _to think about them. He slammed the book shut and placed it on the floor beside the couch.

He laid down and fixed his eyes upon the ceiling for just a moment, then squeezed them shut.

"Goodnight, Al," he said. Al looked up again to find Ed craving a good night's sleep.

"Oh. Goodnight, brother," he returned. He closed the book he had been reading and placed it back in its spot on the bookshelf. He rose from his spot on the floor and walked towards the lamp sharing its light with its surroundings. With a quick glance around the room, Al switched off the lamp, and the room was once again swallowed in darkness.

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A/N: Phew! Forming these chapters is getting harder and harder to do. I feel like I'm losing my muse. Anyway, forgive me if I don't update right away because I'm actually getting knee surgery in three days. Please wish me a speedy recovery, and I'll try to get back to writing as soon as possible. Keep reading! Much love!


	7. It Reminds Me

A/N: Here I am! I'm back! (deflects all dangerous objects being thrown from readers with crutches) I decided to update before I got tied up with physical therapy, follow-up exams, and band practice… I'm the drum major this year! Anyways, I hope everyone enjoys. Much love!

Tears of the Alchemist

Chapter VII – It Reminds Me

The rouge upon Winry's lips shone with a scarlet glow. She turned to Edward and smiled with all her heart.

"You never wear makeup," Ed claimed.

"What's the matter? You don't like it?" Winry asked in a panicked tone.

"No, I didn't say that. It's just… you're beautiful without makeup."

A firm smile formed at the corners of her mouth as she gazed down at the floor.

"I'm beautiful?" she asked. Ed smiled and nodded in return.

"But… I'm not good enough for you," Winry choked out through silent tears.

"What are you talking about?" Ed exclaimed. "You're more than good enough for me. You're the best there is!" Edward reached for her hands and held them delicately in his.

"I'm in love with you, Winry. I've loved you since we were kids," Ed admitted, losing himself in the vast depths of her eyes.

"Ed, I…" Winry trailed off as Ed closed the space between their faces. As soon as he touched his lips to hers, her image shattered, and she faded away to dust. Edward's eyes widened.

"Winry! Don't leave me, please!" he called after her.

"Winry!" Ed jerked awake and sat up straight on the couch. The room was still swallowed in darkness, and there was no sign yet of the rising sun. Ed was covered in a cold sweat and was breathing rapidly. He quickly glanced around the room to find Al nestled on the floor and resting up against the bookshelf. Ed closed his eyes and exhaled deeply.

"It was just another dream," he mumbled to himself. He stared down at his hands, still feeling her lifelike touch. Then the thought struck him.

'She left me… just like how I always leave her,' he thought. Shaking himself from the guilt, he reached for his pocket watch wondering what time it was. It read 02:53. Ed yawned and rubbed his eyes.

'It's too early,' he thought and was about to lie back down when faint coughing could be heard from upstairs. His eyes searched up the stairs and discovered a crack of light coming from Winry's bedroom. Feeling the need to check on her, he rose from the couch. Remembering what had happened earlier during the visit, he decided to bring a glass of water with him. After preparing the glass in the kitchen Ed headed up the stairs, the steps creaking as he climbed.

He paused halfway up the staircase, hearing something he couldn't immediately recognize. He listened intently and realized it was coming from Winry's room. It wasn't coughing or any sound of pain. It was… humming.

'Winry's humming?' he thought, still listening to her voice. He had never before realized how beautiful something as simple as humming could be. He began to recognize the tune and closed his eyes in search of the memory.

He could see his mother slicing apples to bake in a pie, and she was humming that tune. His mind continued its search, and he could see a young Winry. She was crying because she had gotten stung by a bumblebee. His mother was cleaning the sting for her and humming that very same tune.

Waking himself from his trance, Ed climbed the remaining steps. Before entering her room, he lightly tapped at her door. A surprised gasp could be heard from behind it.

"You can come in," Winry said. Ed pushed the door open and smiled, and Winry returned it.

"You scared me," she admitted.

"I'm sorry. I came up to bring you some water."

"Thank you," she said as Ed handed her the glass.

"I, uh," Ed stumbled. "I heard you humming." Winry's face turned a bright crimson, and she bit her bottom lip, slightly embarrassed.

"It was my mom's favorite song," he told her. "It was… refreshing to hear it."

"Oh, I didn't wake you, did I?" she asked, suddenly concerned.

"Naw, I was already awake. I was having trouble sleeping."

She nodded in understanding and stared down at her lap. Ed studied her and noticed she was observing and open book.

"What's that?" he questioned.

"Oh, nothing," she replied, slamming it shut. Ed became curious and reached for the book that was still resting in her lap. Her hands covered it when he tried to grab it, but she submitted and allowed him to take it from her grasp.

"What have we here?" he asked aloud as he scanned his eyes over the cover.

"The Pirate and The Princess," Ed said, smiling in remembrance. Winry cleared her throat and sipped again at her water.

"So, this is what you do in the middle of the night? You read fairytales?" he asked. Winry sat the glass down on her bedside table and pulled her hair back away from her face.

"Well, since I've had to give up automail until I get better, what else can I do? Besides, that one's our favorite." Ed nodded and began to skim through the pages. He was surprised at how he could clearly recall the story.

"I like reading it late at night," Winry began. "It reminds me of you."

Ed looked up from the book and locked his eyes with hers. When she realized what she had said, she felt her cheeks sting with warmth, and she looked down at her hands resting in her lap. It was silent for a few moments until she broke out in a coughing attack. Holding one hand to her mouth and the other to her chest, Winry fought back, trying to catch her breath. As soon as the coughing subsided, her shoulders slouched, and she tried to relax.

"Will you read it to me?" Winry asked with sincere eyes.

"Yeah, no problem," he answered as he turned to the first page.

"The early morning mist rose from the salty green sea as the pirate gazed from his ship out to the horizon." Ed read on as Winry listened intently. She giggled when he reached a humorous part and softly smiled during the romantic chapters. As Ed continued to recite the words before him, he noticed sparkling tears forming at the corners of Winry's eyes. There was no need to ask for an explanation, because for once he understood. He just smiled to himself and continued to fulfill Winry's request.

The early hours of the morning passed, and by the time the sun began to emerge from beyond the horizon, both Ed and Winry were fast asleep. Winry was snuggled in a pile of pillows, and Ed was sitting upright in his wooden chair, the book still open across his lap. There they slept peacefully as minutes turned into hours.

A/N: I wanted to thank EVERYONE for all the good luck and get well wishes, so THANK YOU!


	8. Missed My Point

Disclaimer: See the first few chapters!

Tears of the Alchemist

Chapter VIII – Missed My Point

Winry's bedroom bathed in the morning sunlight, and the golden beams illuminated the halo of glowing blonde locks that surrounded Winry's face. The sunlight crept up Ed's legs, past his torso, and found its way to his face where it tugged at his heavy eyelids. Ed realized the light's plea for him to greet the day, but he refused and fought back.

As Ed was struggling against wakefulness, the warmth of the sun tickled Winry's cheeks. She slowly blinked awake and studied her surroundings. She lay comfortably among many feathered pillows, and a soft smile formed at the corners of her mouth when she saw Ed sitting before her.

Feeling a bit more awake, she noticed her sore throat and aching chest. Her temples began to throb when she lifted her head, but she ignored the pain and pushed away the bedding to reveal her frail legs. She shifted her body to hang her legs off the edge of the bed. After taking a deep breath, she slid off the edge, her toes kissing the smooth wooden floor. She rose from the bed and stood for a moment, but almost instantly, her knees buckled from beneath her, sending her directly to the floor. Winry realized her great lack of strength, and tears began to sting her eyes in both embarrassment and pain.

The sound of her body falling upon the floor caused Ed to abandon his pointless battle, and his eyelids sprung open. Seeing her on the floor, Ed jumped from his seat and was immediately at Winry's side.

"What happened?" he questioned as he squatted next to her.

"I wanted to get up, but my legs failed me," she choked out as she tried to regain her focus after the fall had left her somewhat dizzy. Ed shook his head.

"You know, that's really not a good idea," he told her.

"Yeah," she agreed in a whisper, wrapping her arm around Ed's neck. He placed an arm at the small of her back and helped her pull herself up off the floor. As they rose from the floor, extreme dizziness returned to Winry, and the room began to spin. She dug her face into Ed's neck as he prepared to place her on the bed.

"Ed," she whispered.

"Hmm?"

"… You smell good." He smiled and slightly blushed.

"You're delusional, Winry," Ed accused as he nestled her amongst the pillows.

"Nu-uh," she retorted childishly, holding a hand to her forehead. Ed's arm was still wrapped around her waist as he pulled the bedding up around her. He turned his head back towards her to see her face unbelievably close to his. They were frozen like that for a split second, but Ed quickly retreated.

"Uh, the doctor will be here to see you today," he stammered. "Why don't you get a little more rest?"

"But I'm not sleepy…" she trailed off as she drifted back into a light sleep. He turned away from her and noticed the book from the night before lying on the floor next to his chair. He bent down to pick it up and placed it in the seat. After staring at it for a moment, he slid his hands in his pockets and walked out of the room, closing the door silently behind him.

He imagined everyone would still be sleeping, but he was proven wrong as he descended the stairs. Pinako was once again rummaging around in the kitchen, and Al was doodling on a scratch sheet of paper. Both Al and Pinako looked up at Ed when his footsteps sounded on the stairs.

"Good morning, Edward," Pinako greeted him.

"Hey," he responded. He walked towards Al and peered over his shoulder to examine what he had been drawing. There he discovered a fine sketch of Den, details exaggerated to their greatest extent.

"Not bad, Alphonse," Ed admitted. Al's empty eyes smiled back at him in appreciation, for he always accepted his brother's compliments as precious gifts.

Ed made his way to the kitchen and seated himself at the table.

"Did you sleep well?" Pinako asked him as she slid a plate of assorted fruit in front of him.

"Not really," Ed truthfully replied.

"Hmm… how was she this morning?" she continued her questions.

"She's really out of it. She tried to get out of bed, but she just couldn't handle it." Ed picked at the watermelon before him.

"You know, she still has that book that you used to read to us," he said to her. Pinako nodded.

"Yes, she does. She'll never give that one up." She looked over to Ed to see him staring at his plate, and an idea aroused her mind.

"Speaking of books," she began. "What did you make out of the one I suggested to you last night?" He didn't respond.

"Did you even read it?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I read it."

"Well?" she prompted him. He just sat there for a few moments but finally released a sigh.

"What can I say? It's a book." Pinako raised one hand and placed it on her hip.

"Ed, I believe you missed my point." He shook his head silently, but not obvious enough for anyone else to really notice. He was not the type to admit to his mistakes, especially those in regards to emotions, and he wasn't about to change that now. Without a word, he began to eat the breakfast set before him.

Pinako was not sure how she wished to handle the situation, so she just left the room. 'Surely, he must have understood,' she thought to herself as she exited the area. His denial and downright stubbornness was beginning to infuriate her.

"Dr. Morris will be here shortly," she called over her shoulder. Ed finished his breakfast in silence.

After he had cleaned his plate, he excused himself from the table and traced his steps back to his brother. Al gazed up at him.

"Brother, did you spend the whole night with Winry?" he asked.

"No… well, pretty much. I just wanted to keep her company being that neither of us could sleep."

"I… I can't help but be scared for her," Al quietly whispered. Ed sighed.

"Neither can I."

After a moment of quiet understanding, a series of knocks sounded at the front door.

"Must be the doctor," Al announced as Pinako emerged from one of the back rooms. She and Ed exchanged looks, and then she headed towards to door to welcome the needed visitor.

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A/N: Short chapter, kind of messy, I know… and for that, I apologize. Anyways, the next chapter will bring answers, or will it bring more questions? What is Winry's fate? Has the doctor come to a conclusion in regards to Winry's illness? Will Ed and Winry be torn apart forever? You'll have to see! Please review to let me know that everyone is still reading! Much love!


	9. Can No Longer Fight Back

Tears of the Alchemist

Chapter IX – Can No Longer Fight Back

Ed leaned up against the wall at the foot of the stairs, and his presence was one of impatience. The doctor and Pinako had been upstairs with Winry for longer than he had hoped for. He stared up at Winry's closed bedroom door and began to tap his foot, his hands resting firmly in his pockets.

Al was seated on the couch, hands upon his armored knees. He, too, was waiting for word from the doctor; however, he still honored patience as a virtue and sat quietly in wait. Many thoughts whirred in the heads of the brothers. The hope that Winry's illness was subsiding stayed strong, but the worry that it may have taken a turn for the worse was overpowering. A few more moments passed along with a few faint coughs from Winry and muffled words of those upstairs.

Finally, Winry's bedroom door creaked open, and Dr. Morris and Pinako emerged from the room, closing the door once again behind them. Edward immediately pushed himself off of the wall, and Alphonse rose from his spot on the couch when the two adults made their way down the stairs. The boys did their best to read the facial expressions of both Pinako and Dr. Morris, but that proved to be a rather difficult task. Pinako's face was stern and lacking in emotion, and the grave features of Dr. Morris didn't flinch.

They reached the bottom of the stairs, passing Ed, to enter the main room. Pinako veered towards the window, but Dr. Morris stopped in front of the couch and stood before Al. He nodded to the gentle soul trapped in the armored suit as a signal to take a seat. Al returned to his previous spot on the couch and continued his attempt to analyze the doctor's face as Ed still stood at the stairs.

Dr. Morris shifted his eyes to Ed and motioned for him to join his brother on the couch. Ed hesitated, giving a quick glance towards Winry's bedroom door, but soon found his way to the couch. He inhaled deeply and sat down, searching the doctor's blank brown eyes. The thin strands of salt and pepper hair swept over his eyebrows, and traces of crow's feet showed at the corners of his eyes. His aged wedding ring caught a glint of light with each flick of the wrist, and glasses framed in bronze sat upon the bridge of his nose. He raised his forefinger to push at the spectacles, which were beginning to slide down his nose, and readjusted his focus before he spoke.

"As you boys know, Winry has been ill for quite some time now." He expected at least a nod from those seated on the couch but was disappointed when he received no gesture in return. He decided to continue anyway.

"It didn't seem like she would recover anytime soon, and unfortunately, the outlook doesn't seem any better. I've dealt with her condition only once before, and I have no knowledge of how to treat it." He paused shortly, but soon resumed. "I have concluded that it is a condition known as pleurisy. I'm not sure if you're familiar with medical terms but—"

"Let's just get on with it, Doc," Ed commanded, uninterested in medical terms. His only concern was in the condition itself. Dr. Morris cleared his throat, a bit embarrassed.

"Well, it's the inflammation of the membranes surrounding the lungs. Her breathing is painfully restricted, and she's running a high fever."

"How did she get it?" Al asked, his voice strained.

"Pleurisy can develop due to certain viral infections. In Winry, however, I suspect it was brought on by a mere cold that didn't receive the proper care it needed." The doctor's hands found their way to his coat pockets. He blinked blankly a few times and searched for the right words he needed in order to continue.

"What can we expect?" Ed prompted in a monotonous mumble. Dr. Morris took a moment before he answered.

"The illness seems to be deteriorating her body, and everything is beginning to shut down. Her body is so weak that it can no longer fight back. Sadly, I would only give her about two days, a week at most, to live."

The boys fell quiet, their greatest fear confirmed… Winry was dying. Ed refused to hear any more. He stood and retreated to one of the back rooms, leaving the others behind.

"Brother," Al began to call after him, but he decided to let him go.

"Thank you, Dr. Morris," Pinako said.

"I'll be by tomorrow to check on her," he told her as he was lead to the door. Pinako nodded in agreement and closed the door behind him. She turned to Al and sighed.

"Go check on your brother," she suggested. Al rose from the couch and found his way to the room Ed had run off to. The door was closed, and he couldn't hear anything from inside. He softly knocked on the door.

"Edward?" he called through it.

"Not now, Al."

"But brother…" he trailed off. Al had finally had enough of his brother's stubbornness, and anger boiled inside him. He pushed the door open and saw Ed leaning up against the wall, staring out the window.

"Look, Ed," Al began. "I'm tired of how headstrong you always insist on being. I know you're scared, but so is everyone else. Think of how hard this is for Winry." Ed wouldn't look at his brother, but Al noticed a change in his facial expression. It seemed more sympathetic.

"Right now we need to be there for her."

Ed pushed off of the wall and headed towards the door.

"Thanks, Al," he said quietly as he passed his brother and left the room. Ed entered the living room and stood in the middle for a moment as Al filed in behind him. Pinako noticed the boys before she turned to enter the kitchen.

"Dinner will be ready in a couple hours," she announced. Ed turned to the stairs and began to climb.

"Not hungry," Ed said as he headed to Winry's bedroom.


	10. Please Don't

A/N: Okay… Let's try to get back into the swing of things, shall we? Please enjoy! This was one of my favorite chapters to write. This one shows the reason behind the title. I know it's a short one, but it seemed like such a great place to end this chapter. Please read and review. Much love!

Tears of the Alchemist

Chapter X – Please Don't

Ed laid his hand upon the door before he dared to open it. After breathing deeply, he pushed the door open. Winry was resting peacefully and opened her eyes at the sound of Ed's entrance. She smiled at him.

"Edward," she barely whispered. He returned her smile and sat down in the seat next to her bed. Although his mouth displayed a smile, sadness was in his eyes. Winry noticed his dimly lit eyes immediately, for she always knew them to burn with determination.

"They told you, haven't they?" she questioned, abandoning her smile. He nodded in response.

"But Winry," he began. "Everything will be okay. Alchemy has answers for everything. I'm sure we can figure something out." Winry silently shook her head in disagreement.

"Winry?"

"Why do you think alchemy is always the answer? Look at what happened to you and Al! Is that the type of answer you're looking for?!" Edward hung his head.

"…Haven't you ever considered something besides alchemy?… Have you ever considered prayer?" she asked softly, knowing she was asking too much. Ed raised his eyes, looking back at her.

"You know that I don't like to pray," he said bluntly. She sighed.

"I know, but I thought…" she trailed off. "Nevermind. I'm tired," she said closing her eyes.

"You need your rest," Ed said as he patted the bedding next to her.

"Read to me?"

He smiled and looked next to the bed at the same book they read from the night before. He picked it up and turned to the first page.

"The early morning mist rose from the salty green sea as the pirate gazed from his ship out to the horizon." She smiled softly as he continued to read.

--

An hour had passed and Winry had submitted to sleep. Ed peered at her from over the book.

"Winry?" She didn't answer.

He dropped the book and pulled himself closer to her.

"Winry…" He could hear her shallow, desperate breathing. He let out a sorrowful sigh and took her frail hand in his, leaning over her.

"Winry, this can't happen. You've been so strong. You can't give up now. Not now." His voice was shaking as he spoke to her.

"I know I haven't always been here, and I'm sorry… but you can't leave us. I would do anything to protect you, but now… now it's up to you." His voice was beginning to crack as tears threatened the corners of his eyes. He fought back, trying to keep from shedding them.

"Winry, I need you. Please… PLEASE DON'T DIE!" With that last plea, the tears began to flow freely. They streamed down his face and fell upon Winry's pale cheeks. He rested his head upon her chest and began to sob uncontrollably. But as his tears upon Winry's cheeks began to dry, color returned to her face.

Edward calmed himself enough to lift his head. He cradled her hand carefully in his and bowed his head. It was that moment when the great Fullmetal Alchemist began to do something he hadn't done in ages. He began to pray.

--

Winry had awakened to see her bedroom bathed in moonlight and Edward sleeping soundly upon her chest. Her lips curved upward in a smile, and she softly ran her fragile fingers through his golden blonde hair until she had once again drifted off to sleep.

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A/N: Aww! I have Edwin fuzzies!!!


	11. A Complete Loss

A/N: AHHH!!! I hit 100 reviews! Thanks guys! Now, I'm determined to finish this story soon. Much love!

Tears of the Alchemist

Chapter XI – A Complete Loss

The early morning sunlight forced Edward to raise his heavy eyelids. He found himself still resting upon Winry's chest. He stifled a yawn then raised his head to examine her. He scrunched his eyebrows when he noticed that a light pink had once again graced her cheeks and her breathing seemed more relaxed.

'Heh, maybe I'm just kidding myself,' he thought. He reached a hand out to her, brushing her hair away from her face. He smiled to himself, for he finally admitted to himself just how beautiful she really was.

He stood from his seat and quietly left the room, closing the door behind him. He descended the stairs to meet Pinako sitting at the kitchen table.

"I see you spent yet another night upstairs," she said as she eyed Edward.

"Trying to make up for lost time, I guess," he responded. She nodded.

"Is she still sleeping?" she asked him.

"Yeah," he said as he took a seat at the table with her.

"Good morning brother," Al said as he entered the kitchen.

"Hey Al."

Pinako pushed away from the table, rising from her seat.

"I'm going to run upstairs for a minute. I'll be back," she announced, turning to leave the room. Before she ascended the stairs, she walked to the bookcase and retrieved the gold-binded 'The Advanced Science of Automail.'

Ed noticed the book and looked to the floor, remembering it was the source of much of his guilt. Pinako then headed to the stairs and climbed them, book in hand.

"I wonder why she brought that book with her," Al ventured aloud.

"Who knows?" Ed sighed as he ran his fingers through his bangs.

"So, how is she?" Al asked his brother, not expecting much. Ed shrugged.

"I wish I could tell you that she was perfectly fine, but that would be a lie," he said. "I'm tired of seeing people I care about get hurt. I feel like this is all my fault."

"Ed, you know it's not your fault. Winry knows that we're away from home in order to get things back to normal."

"But Al, we never call or write. It's like we've forgotten all about our best friend… and now we're being told that this is the end?… What are we supposed to do? I'm at a complete loss."

Al didn't know what to say, for he too could sense the helplessness of the situation.

Ed just shook his head. He really didn't know what to do… he didn't know what _could _be done.

It was then that knocks could be heard from the front door. Ed remained where he was, but Al headed to the door. He opened it to reveal a kind Dr. Morris.

"Hello Dr. Morris," Al welcomed him and then stepped aside to let him in. The doctor glanced around and noticed Pinako's absence.

"I assume Pinako is already upstairs with her?" Dr. Morris questioned.

"Yeah," Al confirmed as he closed the front door. "You can probably go ahead up there."

"Well actually," he began as he moved toward the kitchen and the table Edward was seated at. "I wanted to know how you boys were holding up," he said focusing on Ed.

Ed refused to look at him and failed to answer.

"I guess we just can't believe that this is happening," Alphonse said from behind him. The doctor nodded.

"An expected response," he said. "I'm really sorry. If there were something I could do, I would do it. Right now, all I can do for her is make her comfortable." He still expected a response from Ed, but was disappointed when he didn't flinch.

"Okay then, I'll see you two again in a few moments." He nodded to the boys and turned to go up the stairs and tend to his patient.

"Ed… this reminds me of when Mom was sick," Al admitted softly.

"Yeah, me too."

Then silence befell upon both of them. Ed pushed himself away from the table and he returned to his spot at the foot of the stairs; the same spot he waited the previous day. He stared up at Winry's closed bedroom door, waiting for anything.


	12. Absolutely

A/N: Okay, so I fail. I haven't added on to this in, what? Two years? Geez, I thoroughly apologize. So yeah, I'm determined to finish this although the writing style is obviously inconsistent. ::sigh::

Disclaimer: See previous chapters. ;)

Tears of the Alchemist

Chapter X11 – Absolutely

_Tick. Tock._

The clock sounded in the living room, sending a heart aching boom through Edward's head.

_Tick. Tock._

Again and again it sounded. It seemed like the wait was never going to end. Edward cleared his throat to fill the deafening silence, but it was no use. Anxiety still filled the room.

_Tick. Tock. Step._

Footsteps?! Edward looked up to see the doctor descending the stairs, Pinako trailing behind him, golden-bound book yet again in hand. Edward didn't focus on the book for long. He was too wrapped up in calculating the doctor's expression. Shock. He recognized shock, but what kind of shock? Was she already gone?

"No," Edward whispered aloud, assuming the worst. Dr. Morris's eyes were immediately on Edward.

"Edward, right?" he confirmed. Ed nodded, but was having trouble hearing. His heart was pounding so hard, he couldn't quite hear over it. "Edward, I've got some shocking news."

"Yeah-nu-fuh," Edward grumbled. He couldn't get ahold of himself. His best friend had just died. What was he supposed to say?

"She's going to be okay."

Ed froze. Had he just heard right? He locked eyes with Dr. Morris.

"Did—did you just say that's Winry's going to be okay?" he asked.

"Yes," Dr. Morris answered.

"She's going to live?" Ed pressed on.

"Yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes," the doctor confirmed.

"How?" Ed inquired.

"I. Have. Not. A. Clue," Dr. Morris said, making each word its own sentence. "Frankly, I've never seen anything like this. It's unexplainable, but conclusively, she's practically back to normal. With a bit more rest, she'll be 100-percent once again."

Suddenly, Edward couldn't contain himself. He rushed to the doctor, took his hand, and shook it rigorously in thanks.

"Thanks, doc! Thank you so much!" he repeated. Then Ed's lungs were being crushed in his chest. Without warning, Alphonse had locked Ed into his death grip of a bear hug out of pure joy.

"I'll let you boys celebrate while I let Dr. Morris out," Pinako said as Al lowered his brother to the ground. Without a word, Pinako handed the book to Ed as she passed. Suspiciously, Edward accepted it. When the adults had left the room, Ed studied it.

"What's with the book?" Al inquired.

"…I don't know," Ed answered. Reluctance was quite powerful. He really didn't want to re-read the words that had proven how much he had hurt Winry. Yes, the reluctance was strong, but the curiosity was stronger. He opened it, seeing much of the same stuff. Nothing new. He continued to turn the pages until he got to the part that had hit the hardest. The back cover.

'Do I love him?' it had read. Now? Well, there was an answer written in Winry's handwriting.

'Do I love him? Yes. Yes, I believe I do.' Edward smiled to himself, closing the book and setting it on the couch. 'I believe I may love you, too, Win.' he thought.

"I'm… gonna…" he began, looking toward his younger brother. Al had his finger pointed up toward Winry's bedroom. "Yeah, that," Ed finished. Not looking back, he bounded up the stairs and into Winry's bedroom.

"Edward!" she greeted him. She was beaming, and his arms were immediately around her. She giggled, while he just listened to the sound of her laughter. But as he pulled out of the embrace, he softly brushed his lips against her forehead.

"Ed?" Winry asked, a bit surprised.

"Uh," he stumbled. Winry was staring expectantly. "Meh," he said, shrugging it off. "I knew you'd snap out of it." He rustled her hair and laughed, causing her to laugh as well.

"So…" Winry began. "Does this mean you're going back to Central?" she asked.

"Nope."

"No?" she asked wide-eyed.

"I decided to stay for awhile," he said nonchalantly.

"You're staying with me?" she asked hopefully.

"That I am," Ed confirmed.

"Really?"

Ed laughed and nodded. "Really."

Winry grinned the most delighted, most enchanting, most beautiful smile Edward had ever seen.

"Uh, so…" he said, shaking himself from the trance and clearing his throat, as he was slightly embarrassed.

"How about a book?" she asked as she eyed the copy of 'The Pirate and the Princess.'

"Absolutely," he said. Edward reached for the book and began to read out loud. "The early morning mist rose from the salty green sea as the pirate gazed from his ship out to the horizon."

[FIN]

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A/N: Hey, guess what? COMPLETE! That's right! I know that some of you have been waiting forever for this, so tell me what you think! Much love!


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